Many mobile devices include features that help users call other parties and recognize parties of incoming calls. For example, users may store telephone numbers in a memory of their mobile devices in the form of a contacts list database and then access the stored number in a number of ways. For example, to access a telephone number stored in a contacts list database, the user may select a speed-dial number associated with the telephone number, type all or part of a user's name, speak a voice-tag associated with the telephone number, or select a name associated with the telephone number from a display of the contacts list database. The called telephone number is typically displayed on a screen of the mobile device. If a label, such as a first name, a last name, an image or photograph, a location or a company name, is associated with the called number, the label may also be displayed on the screen.
When a user receives a call, a mobile device also typically displays the number of the calling party, which is typically provided by the cellular telephone network as part of the incoming call information. If the calling party's number is stored in the contacts list database, the mobile device may also display a label, name, image or other information associated with the number of the calling party.
If two or more contacts share a common number, then when an incoming call is received, a label associated with one contacts in the contacts list database may be displayed. However, the displayed label may not properly identify the actual caller. For example, the contacts list database may contain an entry for Bob Smith that includes his mobile device number and his home telephone number. The contacts list database may also contain an entry for Bob Smith's wife Susie Smith that includes her mobile device number and her home telephone number, which is also Bob Smith's home telephone number. If Susie Smith calls from her mobile device, the display will properly identify the caller as Susie Smith. If, however, Susie Smith calls from the home telephone number, the display may indicate that the incoming call is from Bob Smith or from Susie Smith.
As another example, an office telephone number may be shared by any number of employees. If the contacts list database includes contact information for more than one of the employees, the display may identify an incoming call from the office telephone number as originating from any one of the employees on the contacts list database.